okay….i admit it…my edge is leaving me. it went somewhere with my energy level and replaced my lust for junk and treasure hunting with a uncontrolled urge to sleep. my joints have ached for days now. i blame it on pollen. i’m sure it’s pain from my connective tissue pulling away from bone & wasting away with the lack of exercise i get followed by my love of moving heavy objects to and from the house to the back porch for transformation then to my booth. just the thought of the amount of work it takes to run a small booth makes me realize how much i’ve done over the past year to keep my sanity during this recent deployment. i have almost officially stopped bringing in items. i think i will have one more booth drop and that is the end. i’m so sad it’s coming to a close….but they say another door will open. i’m not sure who said it first. they may not have even had real doors during those times. maybe just a hole in the wall with a pretty cloth to separate the space. who knows…..maybe when one vintage rose curtain closes another vintage rose curtain will fly open. sounds more romantic anyway……

i can say that having a space in a mall is such a great way to make a little cash and meet some of the most exciting and motivating and inspiring people. i have talked with so many junk enthusists (that word is for you mom) that come to shop to distract themselves (if just for a short time) and reward themselves with cool old stuff to look at and buy. just chatting and sharing junking stories and life stories helped this year fly by fast and helped me realize i have faced no real challenges in my life. my customers have turned into my friends…….they have survived disease, divorce, death, sickness, heartache, family crisis and financial fail and have bounced back with style and determination. i love their stories and i cherish the support they have given me. they have helped me grow and given me confidence and motivation. thank all of you tremendously……and for the employees and other vendors….you are amazing. simply amazing. what an incredible group of talented and wonderful women…… thank you ladies soooo much….it’s nuts that we are all bonded in some way…not really by the stuff we love to collect and sell…that is an excuse just to hang out and talk about stuff. that is the way i see it. bonded by junk.

i have started looking into prospects for a new booth in maryland. i know i have my priorities all screwed up, but i don’t care. first things first….hahaha….i have found out what i need to to for taxes and i’ve talked to a mall owner that has made me a junk selling optimist once again. i’ve given thought to having a blog shop, but i don’t even have a permanent address, so i think i will save that for my husbands retirement days….when he can help out with the kids and the chores and we can settle more (help with kids and chores…i know…i’m dreaming). until then, a booth will do fine.

for now….well, up until the move dates, i will keep my junk spy eye on things that are super cute, cheap and useful. i will try to control the overload of bulk junk buying and keep those jaunts to a minimal for the sake of clutter control (i know…how?). i will also try to keep up with at least a few projects here and there. i love to knock out projects to keep my sanity from the stress of 2 kids and a virtual husband. it is amazing what i have let slide each month the deployment deepened…….ie….. i started out making fresh pancakes and eggs for breakfast and now i let the kids eat sour patch kids for breakfast on the weekends and write on the walls.

okay…i’ve gone on and on. i was inspired today by blue and pink and/or variations of it. i have been very tired…that is the blue…but want to be creative…that is the pink. my house is a metaphor for my life. like a big open journal you can touch….

i know this is a huge photo, but i love this bear…..so sweet…..

some projects i worked on this past weekend. cast off linens and some tags…..

loving my big alpha stamps once again.

okay….i need to get rest. idol was the bomb tonite and now that it’s almost over, i have GLEE to watch. i will become a GLEE addict for sure. i can already tell.

you all have a great remainder of a very late night….i’m going for another cup of chocolate mint tea w/a big ole heaping spoon of honey to wash it down. arek is next to me on the floor and he is snoring. just 1 minute ago he was asking me what a week is. what? how old are you?…anyway…. it is amazing how quickly kids fall asleep. too bad arek can’t put his clothes on in the morning and eat breakfast at the same speed he can fall asleep. i know…keep dreaming……